Few words bring such strong negative reactions as ‘business meeting’. As companies analyze their meeting times against results they often throw up their hands in disgust and conclude that meetings are a waste of time and of no use. Not so fast. While it is true that not having a meeting may be better than having a bad meeting, it does not follow that the business meeting itself is to blame. No matter how good the idea, if those that execute the plan fail then the project itself fails.

‘It’s a bother, it’s a pain, so little gets done, same old stuff, nothing ever happens, it’s always a bore, it lasts too long, and all we do is sit and listen to one or two people drone on about the company’s woes.’ Whine, whine, whine. Case closed.

And that’s the most difficult part; overcoming apathy and boredom from employees and managers that are jaded after continued exposure to bad meetings. It makes starting a meeting difficult and gaining momentum from that meeting even more difficult. The best place to start is to determine what results you would like to have from the meeting. This will guide you in determining the agenda.

The agenda should be written with a time allotted to each item. Meetings should rarely go over an hour especially if they start on time. Start exactly on time and you will ensure promptness at the next meeting. After each agenda item put the person responsible for reporting or moderating that agenda item so that someone ‘owns’ that agenda item. If you are starting business meetings make it a goal to spread the agenda items out to different meeting participants.

The first agenda item should be something light and not nuts and bolts financial. I like to bring up items such as image and attitude here. The last agenda item should be the next meeting’s time and place.

Don’t overload the agenda with too many items or too many heavy stress items if that is avoidable. If the business meeting becomes too negative it can dampen whatever enthusiasm it generates. Some agenda items can be ‘rolled’ over into the next agenda. Try to vary your agenda items for each meeting to keep the agenda fresh. That also means you should be discussing relevant and current topics.

Plan your agenda to end on an upbeat note. You really want the last impression of the meeting to be a positive one. If the meeting ends on a sour note it will leave a sour taste. If participation is important try to get each person present in the meeting to say something. This may be difficult at large meetings but in smaller groups it creates the impression of being a part of the meeting. Meeting participation can be a goal itself.

Some people tend to speak more than others so don’t let one or two people do all the talking. Especially you. It is best to have a moderator or leader. This person is responsible for opening and closing the meeting as well as making certain the agenda moves along in a timely manner.

It is possible to rotate moderators from meeting to meeting. This depends on the meeting participants, their capabilities and their willingness to participate.

Do not expect too much change too fast. It has been my experience that it might take several months of weekly meetings to reach desired results. And it is best not to create unrealistic expectations up front as they may sabotage your efforts.

It’s OK to disagree and disagreements often make for excellent meetings. As the moderator, it is your job to maintain calm and control. If everyone is yawning a good disagreement might even wake them up. After each meeting do a self-evaluation on how the meeting went. What could have done better? What went right? What did not go as expected?

And stay persistent. It is very hard to change either individual or group behavior and that’s what meetings are mostly about. Some call it behavior modification but perhaps changing the range of behaviors is more appropriate. Some call it training or education. And sometimes it’s art and sometimes it’s science but seldom is it predictable.

Often it doesn’t always work as planned. If you have a bad meeting shrug it off and see how you can improve the next one. Also try to stay in the right frame of mind and perspective so you don’t get frustrated too quickly.

There is no right or wrong way to have a meeting; just ways that make meetings more effective. The best strategy to make your meeting effective is to open it up, do what it takes to get participation and work through a relevant and prioritized agenda. Go with your gut and don’t be afraid of taking small risks to keep momentum. Even if you flop folks will see you are sincere and good things will happen.

If you have ever thought about financing a commercial real estate property, the thought of using a commercial mortgage broker may have crossed your mind. However, if you are like some people, you may have debated using a commercial mortgage broker based on the belief that it is more expensive to use a broker rather than go directly to a lender. This common belief is a myth.

The reality is that there are a number of ways in which you can save money by engaging a mortgage broker to provide you assistance with your commercial real estate financing needs and objectives. If you take the time to determine the value of using a commercial mortgage broker you will surely see that it is money well spent.

-Locating a Lender

Locating a lender to fund your commercial mortgage is not as easy as it may seem. Due to the wide range of property types, loan types, and special circumstances a single lender simply cannot offer loan programs for all potential loans. You may waste a considerable amount of time simply trying to find a single lender that offers the program you need. A qualified and experienced mortgage broker will have multiple lender relationships in place who can offer a wide range of lending options. Some brokers may even have relationships in place that give you access to hundreds of lenders offering an unbelievable amount of loan options.

-Risks in working with a single lender

You may spend the time and locate a single lender that can meet your needs, but you are not out of the woods yet. By working with a single lender or bank you are putting all your eggs in one basket as they say. The approval process can take a good deal of time that you may not have. Then what happens if the loan application is not approved by that lender? Can you afford to go through the process a second time risking a similar outcome? By working with a broker, your loan application can be submitted to multiple lenders. This not only increases the chances that your loan will be funded, but it also gives you and your broker more bargaining power to get the best deal.

-Cost Variations Between Lenders

One of the most significant ways in which you can save money by using the services of a commercial mortgage broker rests in the fact that there can be notable differences in the interest rates, costs and other fees charged from one lender to the next. A broker will help you in identifying the most reasonably priced options available from these different mortgage lenders. On first blush the cost differences from one lender to another may seem small. But remember, in most instances we are talking about loans in the millions of dollars. Even if the interest rate difference is minimal on the surface, over time this can add up to a significant amount of money.

-Brokers Specialize

Commercial mortgage brokers, especially the good ones, will often specialize in a certain property or loan type. The added experience provided by a specialist guarantees that they have experience with exactly the loan you are looking to secure. Each and every property type and loan type has its own set of issues and pitfalls so it pays to find a broker that services your individual needs. In comparison, if you have a problem with your plumbing you want a plumber, not a general contractor.

-Inherent Expenses of Searching on Your Own

People tend to forget that when they are devoting time shopping around looking for a commercial mortgage lender – or anything else for that matter – it takes you away from other pursuits, including money making pursuits. Therefore, you do need to keep in mind that by engaging the services of a commercial mortgage broker you free up more of your valuable time to engage in other efforts that are more profitable than aimlessly wandering around looking for a mortgage lender.

-Support Services

Another avenue through which a commercial mortgage broker can help you save money is through their existing relationships with other industry professionals. A good commercial mortgage broker has a preassembled network of professionals including appraisers, accountants, lawyers and other service providers that they work with on a regular basis. Not only do you not have to spend the time to find these required resources on your own, but often times you can get a reduced rate on the services due to the brokers existing relationship.

-Fees of Commercial Mortgage Brokers

You need to understand that commercial mortgage brokers appreciate that they are in a very competitive business. Therefore, these professionals are now taking great pains to make their services as affordable as possible. Don’t be afraid to negotiate the broker fee. And don’t be afraid to ask your broker questions regarding how they came up with the fee proposal. The good thing about using a broker is that they do not get paid unless your deal closes.

It is true that in the end, you do pay a fee for utilizing the services of a commercial mortgage broker. These fees can range from half a point to two points on conventional loans up to five or so points on a hard money deal. However, you will find, as many commercial investors have in the past, that working with a commercial broker will help ensure that your needs are met and that you get the best deal in the process. The bottom line is that what you are paying for is a professional on your side, someone to watch out for your best interests. Similar to the way a lawyer protects your interests in legal matters. You wouldn’t go to court without a lawyer, so don’t finance your commercial mortgage without a broker.

Leading a business meeting is not as easy as it seems. There are a lot of business meetings which are ill-directed, drawn out and digressive. For this reason, you have to appropriately plan your meeting so that it is firmly structured and you can achieve your goals.

The first thing you have to do to lead your business meeting runs well is to decide whether or not you highly have to call a meeting. You have to consider whether that problem can be resolved by individual. If it can, you don’t have to call a meeting then. On the other hand, if it can’t, you can call a meeting.

The second thing is to determine the attendants. Certain issue may only involve certain individual. You have to consider the individual who has to attend the meeting. It allows the other to keep on doing their tasks. In addition, it will make the discussion more focus.

The third thing is to prepare for the agenda. You have to determine the definite time to start and stop. Also, you have to determine the goals and the main priority of your goals. It will help you to make the meeting clear. In addition, you have to circulate the agenda earlier so that the attendants can make a preparation.

The fourth step is to start your meeting after all are ready. You can start it from the easier issue and then to the heavier issues so that your meeting will be effective. For each issue you want to discuss, you have to make certain allotted time. To help you monitor the time, you can use a timer. Set the discussion at the end of the meeting so that you can cover all the issues in the agenda.

The last thing you have to do is to hand out copies right after the meeting so that you can remind everyone about the result of the meeting and the action plans.